Steam generator



w. E. BAKER STEAM GENERATOR May 14, 1929.

Filed March 28, 1924 3 Sheets-Shea g sk May 14, 1929. w, BAKER 1,712,806

STEAM GENERATOR Filed March 28. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 14, 1929.

w. E. BAKER 1,712,806

STEAM GENERATOR Filed March 28, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ewe r:

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Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM E. BAKER, F ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM GENERATOR.

Application filed. March 28, 1924.

My invention relates to a new and improved steam generator and has forone of its principal Ob]GCtS to provide a frame on V which a pluralityof generator units may be mounted as desired.

A further object is to provide a frame which will, in addition tosupporting a plurality of generator units, also act as a waterseparator.

A still further object is to provide such a frame which will support thegenerator units out of contact with the flame from the fire box.

A further object is to provide a frame which will lead the waterseparated from the steam from a plurality of points in the frame to apoint or points where the impurities therein may be readily blown out.

A further object is to provide generator unit which will give a largesurface exposed to heat, thus causing a rapid circulation of waterthrough the unit.

A still further object is to provide a system which will give a rapidcirculation of steam, thereby preventing formation of scale.

Another object is to provide a generator unit which will effectivelysupport super heater units in a position where they do not come indirect contact with the flame and in such a way that it is possible toprovide a substantial amount of super heater surface.

Another object is to provide a structure wherein. welding of joints isreduced to a 1n inimum.

A still further object is to provide a frame which may support one or aplurality of generator units as may be desired.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out in thefollowing description, and in the drawings formlng a part of thisspecification:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of one embodiment of my invention. 7

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the embod1- ment shown in Fig. 1, partsbeing shown in section and some parts omitted for the purpose ofclearness.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a View corresponding to Fig. 1 but illustrating a preferredform of my invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing my improved valve.

One of thetroubles experienced in water Serial No. 702,485.

tube steam generator systems has been the formation of scale, commonlytermed incrusting, on the inner surface of the tubes. Another troubleexperienced has been that of foaming. Incrusting is caused by thedeposition of foreign matter, such as, mud, salts or soap formingmaterial which is found in the water used. Foaming may be caused by thedeposition of organic matter which found in the Water, which forms scum,or by incomplete separation of steam.

My system avoids these troubles by causing a very rapid circulation ofthe water through the tubes which causes a granulation of the impuritiesinstead of an incrustation, and also prevents the deposition of theorganic matter to cause foaming. Furthermore, I provide means to cause amore nearly complete separation of steam than has been possibleheretofore, thus removing one of the possible causes of foaming. In thepast, these troubles have been attacked by means independent of-thegenerator and involving considerable expense, and also by treatment ofthe water which is also expensive and uncertain in its results.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the fire box occupies the position indicated atA. 1 provide a frame 1 comprising headers 2, 3, l, 5 and 6 andconnecting members between said headers which will be referred to as thedescription progresses. Water enters header 2 at 7, passes through tubes54 and 8 into header 3 and then through connections 9 to headers 10 ofmy improved generator units. These units are mounted upon the headers 3and 4 of the frame 1 by means of the connections 9 and 11 and heldtogether by a connection 10. After passing to headers 10, the water willthen enter the members 12 attached to the lower part of the headers, thewater line being maintained at the elevation indicated at 13 by any wellknown regulating means. As shown, the tubes 12 are U-shaped and arearranged to re-cross the space above the fire box and to return to theheader 10 at its upper end and rest on support 20. Both legs of each Uare inclined upwardly, so as to aid in the proper circulation of steam,as will be more fully described later.

In the water tube type of generators it is not uncommon to have thesteam circulate in the wrong direction. This is prevented in myinvention by the provision of valves 14 placed as shown in Fig. 1 justabove the Water line and there being one valve in each unit of thegenerator system. This valve will be more fully described later. I Afterrc-entering the header 1() above the valve 14, steam then circulatesthrough the connections 11 to the header 4. At this point much of thewater which the steam has been carrying in suspension will be depositedin the header l and will drain back to the header 3 by means of thepipes 15 forming a portion of the frame 1. The steam will flow throughthe pipes 16 to the header 5 where separation of more of the suspendedwater from the steam will take place, the separated water draining backto thebottom of the frame bymeans of the pipes 17 and 18 also formingpart of the frame 1. The steam' will continue through the pipes .19 tothe header 6 where the final separation takes place; the water from theheader 6 returns through pipes 20' and 21 to the bottom portion of theframe, these pipes 20 and 21 also forming part of the frame. It will beevident that the impurities contained in the water separated from thesteam will be deposited in the headers 2 and 3 from which they may beeasily blown out as at 22.- These headers 2 and 3, it Will be noted, arenot directly exposed to the flame from the fire box and there is,therefore, no danger of incrustation from the impurities. After reachingthe header 6 the steam passes through the pipe 23 to the super heaterunits 24 mounted on the lower leg of the U-shaped pipe 12 and thencethrough the pipe 25 to the second super heater unit 26 disposed beneaththe bottom of the lower leg of the 'U-shaped units 26 and. 24 act asbaifie plates and a suitable baffle plate 28 and smoke bonnet 29 isprovided to direct the heated gases from the'fire box Afaround the tubes12, as indicated by the arrows B in Fig. 1.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided 3 a most efficient systemwhich will permit of the utilization of any desired number of generatorunits on a frame, which frame will also serve as a separator for thewater carried in suspension by steam. The arrangement of the pipesmaking up the frame forms in effect a trussed structure of "thenecessary strength to support the generator units.

' sion 31.

The valve 1 1 I prefer to use in my system is illustrated in detail inFig. 5 and comprises a hollow member 30 adapted to fit within a header10 or other pipe and (erminating in a depending L shaped exten- This Lextension 31. is provided at its end with flanges 32 defining a planeinclined at an angle from the vertical so that a plate 33 mounted toslide on supporting members 34 will, by its own weight, restagainstthese flanges. It will be seen that any tendency of water or steam tocirculate upward in the header 10 will be prevented by the valve, theplate 33 being forced into engagement with the flanges 32 not only byits own weight, but also by the pressure of the steam or water. On thecontrary, passage of water in the opposite direction is permitted, thewater merely forcing the plate 33 outwardly against the heads 35 of themembers 34, it being understood that these heads retain the plate 33 inposition and the reduced portions of the members 34 permitting a certainplay of the plate thereon.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a modification which I have found to be)referable to that shown in Fig. 1, although embodying the same generalprinciples. In this modification, instead of a U-shaped series of tubesjoining a header I use a double U or a W- shaped series of tubes 36joined at their ends with the frame shown in the modification of ,Fig. 1except that in this modification I have shown the valves located in somemembers of the frame. I have also omitted from this view the smokebonnet and bafile plates which may obviously be placed where desired. Inthis construction it will be seen that I may provide more super-heaterunits thanv in the modification of Fig. 1 and I have shown, for thepurposes of illustration, three groups of units 37, 38 and 39. By thusproviding a greater length of super heater units, it will be evidentthat the steam delivered to the engine will be much drier and that thesuper heater units may be so placed that they do not come in directcontact with the flame from the fire box, thereby eliminating blisteringor burning out, or the formation of scale therein, both of which arewell known as serious problems in this art. In this modification, also,I, of course, may employ one or more units in my generator, as may befound desirable, the

frame being capable of supporting a plurality of generator units ofeither t pe, either the U-shaped type shown in Fig. 1, or the W-shapedtype shown in Fig. 4. The W-shaped type is also preferable in that itprovides contact for the hot gases from the fire box'with a greaterlength of water pipe and this contact is made in a more direct manner,as will be evident from a compari- 'to the header 10. The frame 1 isidentical each other and above the tubes.

son of Figs. 1 and 4. In actual test I have found, however, that theform of Fig. 1 is very efiicient, In Fig. 4, as in Fig. 1, I have usedarrows B to indicate the paths of the hot gases from the fire box, fullline arrows to indicate the flow of the water and steam, and dotted linearrows to show the flow of the water separated from the steam.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have achieved all theobjects set forth regarding my invention and that I have devised a mostefiicient and flexible system wherein as many generator units as desiredmay be used, and are supported on a strong frame which also serves as aseparating means to separate the water which is carried in suspension insteam and direct it to a place where the impurities may be easilyremoved. By making the tubes in the forms shown, wherein both ends ofthe tubes are joined to a substantially vertical header, and arrangingthe tubes so that they extend upwardly throughout their entire length,and particularly extend upwardly from their lower end to the water line,I insure that the circulation of steam shall always take place in theproper direc; tion. This action is aided by the location of the checkvalves in the position shown,

although I have found that these valves are 7 not absolutely necessary.They are, however, preferred. If the tubes are arranged substantiallyhorizontal, then when heat is applied thereto the steam generated fromthe water has two paths to follow: one is directly up the header and theother is through the tubes. Obviously it is going to take the line ofleast resistance and if the tubes are arranged as shown, extendingupwardly at least as far as the water line and preferably throughouttheir length, then the steam will follow the tubes and not the header.By providing a plurality of head ers at the top of the generator, thewater in the steam may be gradually separated therefrom and led back tothe lower part of the generator, thus forming a closed circuit for thesurplus water. As plainly shown in the drawings, the headers are spacedfrom Therefore it will be obvious that the steam passing from one to theother is heated progressively and therefore the water is progressivelyseparated therefrom.

I am aware that changes in the form, con,- struction and arrangement ofparts may be made without departing from the spirit and withoutsacrificing the advantages of the invention and I reserve the right tomake all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. A steam generating system comprising a pair of upper headers and apair of lower headers, pipes interconnecting the upper headers with thelower headers, pipes interconnecting the lower headers, generatingelements connected between one of the lower headers and one of the upperheaders, a third upper header intermediate of and connected with saidpair of upper headers, water return pipes connecting said inter mediateupper header with said lower headers, and return pipes from another ofthe upper headers to the lower headers.

2. A steam generating system in accordance with claim 1 in which saidgenerating elements comprise a plurality of U-shaped tubes extendinglaterally from said connection between a lower and an upper header.

3. A steam generator system comprising three upper headers spaced apartand interconnected by pipes, two lower headers interconnected by pipes,return pipes connecting the end upper headers with the lower headers,and pipes connecting the intermediate upper header with the connectionbetween the lower headers.

4. A steam generating system in accordance with claim 3 in whichU-shaped pipes are disposed laterally between the upper and lowerheaders and are connected with the connection between one of the upperand lower headers.

5. A steam generating system in accordance with claim 3 in which Ushaped pipes are disposed laterally between the upper and lower headersand are connected at their ends with the connection between an upper anda lower header, said pipes being extended upwardly throughout theirentire length.

WILLIAM E. BAKER.

